1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage containers, and more particularly is related to storage containers for life preservers on offshore rigs.
2. General Background
In the oil and gas industry, operations such as drilling and production are commonly conducted offshore in open waters. Conducting these operations offshore necessitates that a supply of life preservers be kept at accessible locations on the site in the event that an emergency should arise. Emergencies such as a worker falling in the water, blowouts, storms or other such emergencies require that a number of life preservers be quickly and easily accessible to ensure safety of workers on the site. Quick and easy access to a number of life preservers in a variety of locations is also necessary to meet with safety standards required for offshore work sites. Also, storage of life preservers is necessary to protect the life preservers from the elements and prevent deterioration, thereby ensuring that an effective and efficient life saving system is provided on the site.
A problem encountered with the storage of a number of life preservers on an offshore drilling or production site is that of the life expectancy of the containers used in storing the life preservers. In the present state of the art, fiberglass storage containers are commonly used to store life preservers on offshore sites. It is generally realized in this environment that the presently used fiberglass storage containers have a life expectancy of approximately one year. This presents a problem in both maintenance and cost as the maintenance must be increased in maintaining the containers in a safe and usable condition and also to adequately protect the life preservers. Another factor or problem created is that of costs. Frequent replacement adds to the general operating costs in terms of both equipment and man hours spent in replacing and maintaining a fiberglass container.
Another problem encountered with the fiberglass containers is that of warping and sticking. The fiberglass containers generally have a top which must be manually opened by hand by a worker desiring to extract a life preserver from the container. Two problems are encountered here, first, the fiberglass containers have a tendency to warp and cause the tops to be difficult to open as they warp and stick to the sides of the container. Also, in the event of an emergency such as a blowout, workers who may have injured or burned hands are presented with extreme difficulty in opening the box, whether the top is warped or not, due to the weight of the top and possibly the extra difficulty encountered if the top is warped due to injured hands. This is an extremely dangerous condition as abandoning of the work site into the water may be necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 391,376, entitled "Life Preserver Rack And Alarm" issued to McFarlane and discloses an overhead life preserver rack. The rack is comprised of longitudinal slats which are held together by cross strips. One side of the rack is hingedly attached to ceiling joists by eyebolts to allow hinged movement of one side of the rack. A bar is provided which is parallel to the longitudinal slats and has protrusions extending therefrom which engage with eyebolts on the rack to maintain the rack in an overhead position. A means for slidably moving the bar is provided so that the protrusions disengage from the eyebolts, allowing the rack to dispense life preservers stored thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 791,765, entitled "Holder For Life Preservers" issued to French and discloses an overhead rack for life preservers to be used on ships. An overhead door is hinged and provided with a release means which may be utilized to release one or more racks at the same time. A metal strap is extended upwardly and curved to support the life preservers during reloading of the container and also to support the life preservers upon opening of the rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 277,269, entitled "Life Preserver Holder" issued to Gray and discloses an apparatus for holding life preservers on a vessel. Frames or gates are hingedly attached to the ceiling beams of a vessel and provided with a sliding bolt for maintaining the gates in position. Bolts removably attached to the gates have a spring loaded sliding bar engaged therewith to cause release of the gates and dispensing of life preservers. The sliding bar is provided with cam portions to cause the bolts to release a plurality of gates and dispense a large number of life preservers at one time.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,375,341, entitled "Automatic Lighting Device For Talking Machines" issued to Wizner and discloses a support arm pivotally mounted on a screw bolt to the side of the cabinet cover of a phonograph. The support arm has a shoulder pin at its lower end upon which is mounted a cylindrical contact. A plate secured to the upper edge of one side of the cabinet is provided with a block having an arcuate recess upon which are positioned a pair of electrical contacts. Upon placing the cylindrical contact in the arcuate recess to support the cabinet cover in its open position, a circuit is completed with the pair of contacts to illuminate a lamp powered by batteries connected in circuit with the lamp and contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,189,592, entitled "Illuminating Device" issued to Lutz and discloses a box or cabinet which is provided with a pivoted cover. A battery container, lamp and contact device are attached to the outer end of the cover. The contact device is comprised of a pivotal bearing, a pendant arm pivoted thereon and provided with an enlarged weighted portion which extends from one side of its diameter and a contact finger which extends from the other side. A contact plate is placed so as to be in the path of the contact finger when the cover is opened thus completing the circuit and illuminating the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,882 entitled "Illuminated Handle For Refrigerated Cabinet Doors" issued to Voda and discloses a handle having a rubber encased electrical lamp socket mounted therein and secured by an annular rib or groove. An electric cord supplies current to the socket and an electric lamp secured in the socket. An electric switch connected to the socket is provided with a spring biased plunger for opening and closing the circuit upon movement of the door.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,937,320; 2,801,330; 3,938,132; and 712,112 all disclose containers which are illuminated when the lid is lifted and are powered by batteries.
None of the above patents disclose containers which may be used for storage and dispensing of life preservers at an offshore site. A container which is weather resistant, has a long life, protects life preservers from the elements encountered offshore and also provides easy dispensing of life preservers during an emergency is needed at offshore work sites.